February 13th in HS Auditorium @7 p.m.

The IKM-Manning Board of Education has hired the firm of Iowa Schoolhouse Construction and Planning Services to evaluate and plan for the future of all buildings in the district. The activities the firm will provide include and not limited to:

• Evaluate all attendance centers for their minimum and maximum student capacities and present use.

• Evaluate enrollment trends and projections for future enrollment.

• Review current school locations, potential building sites, and school district growth areas.

• Provide the district with recommendations, all relevant information and an Action Plan for future building use and possible new buildings.

Our legislatures just finished week two of the 2013 legislative session. This week was spent in committee and subcommittee meetings. The House began work on education reform while the Senate turned its attention to four percent allowable growth. What is really distressing to this educator is that the content of education reform is far from being settled, as it appears many legislators have concerns about the tiered teacher leadership system and the cost that could be associated with the system. As I write this update the fact that there is no agreement on allowable growth agreement for FY 14 and FY 15 is distressing, especially when the Central Office is preparing the FY 14 Budget.

Legislators are telling superintendents they need help in working through the technical issues of the Governor’s proposals, as well as setting an allowable growth. Along with this goes how increased allowable growth minimizes property taxes as fewer districts become dependent upon the budget adjustment. The budget adjustment is an adjustment to the regular program district cost of a school district for districts in which the regular program district cost for a year would be less than the regular program cost for the previous year. For IKM-Manning would be a dramatic loss in budget adjustment.

I would like to recognize Mr. Struve and the IKM-Manning Jazz Band for a One Rating over this past weekend. This group of performers is one other reason to attend a home basketball game. They do an outstanding job of entertaining during the games. Also, a high five to Coach Rasmussen and Coach Wagner for both of the basketball teams advancing on to the semi-finals of the WVC Tournament this week at the IKM-Manning Gym. The state tourney is right around the corner.

Questions, concerns or if you just like to discuss any issues give me a call or e-mail tward@ikm-manning.k12.ia.us. Have a great week!